Thursday, June 3, 2010

Field Trip to JewelersWerk Galerie

So, we've been working hard to install the show at Honfleur Gallery, and it's looking great! Although the opening is tomorrow, after making a list of all the tasks that we have left to address, we decided that we had enough time to take the afternoon off and head over to visit JewelersWerk Galerie.

JewelersWerk is a tiny exhibition space nestled into Cady's Alley, just off of M Street in Georgetown. The gallery is extremely well designed, and features endless display drawers filled with jewelry made by some of today's most prominent makers. Currently on display is the work of Esther Knobel, a Polish born Israeli artist who has been recently honored with the Andrea M. Bronfman Prize for outstanding Israeli Decorative Arts.

Knobel's work features enameling, electroformed copper, and other avant sculptural processes with more traditionally recognized jewelry making techniques such as stringing pearls and bead work. I really likes her work, especially the color scheme and the pairing together of contrasting design elements. I also fell in love with the way that her work references organic origins and inspirations.

Esther's display was also beautifully informal and visually accessible to the viewer. Her pieces were laid out on unstretched canvas, with titles written directly on the fabric and walls. I ended up buying her book, The Mind in the Hand, and can't wait to dive into it and investigate her studio practice a little more.

I've attached a couple images of the gallery, in all it's compact glory.

LET'S GET PERSONAL

I use the body as a pedestal to showcase wearable sculptures. I received my MFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the Rhode Island School of Design. I currently work as the Gallery Director at Hera Gallery, teach Continuing Education at RISD, and maintain an active studio practice.